JVP to vote against Budget 2019 - Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath

The JVP has decided to vote against Budget 2019 as it is based on taxes, selling assets and large scale borrowing without providing any concessions to the ordinary people who are greatly affected by the high Cost of Living.

JVP Propaganda Secretary and Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said yesterday the expected expenditure is twice the expected revenue for next year. Therefore, the government will have to borrow more money to cover the deficit resulting heavy tax burdens on the people

Last year alone, the government has added Rs. 36,500 billion as taxes on the people. Accordingly, one person will have to pay Rs.60,704 as taxes.

He further said that there are no proposals to improve sustainable production. The budget has introduced several loan schemes for various segments in society at a time when the people have fallen into a debt trap by obtaining loans from micro finance companies.

Herath said around 3,200 people who were unable to pay back the loans obtained from micro finance companies have already committed suicide last year.

According to MP Herath, local farmers have been given step motherly treatment through this budget. There is also no word in the budget for proving fertiliser subsidies and increasing the certified price for paddy farmers. Therefore, farmer communities throughout the country are heavily disappointed and they are planning to launch a massive demonstration against the government shortly.

JVP MP Wasantha Samarsinghe said Budget 2019 has not mentioned the contribution of the estate workers and the private sector workers to the national economy. The estate sector workers were hoping that the government would have come up with a proposal of increasing their day wages upto Rs.1,000. But, ultimately, their hopes were dashed,” he added.